Less Is More

May 17, 2022

Long ago when my partner in crime Terry Nelson and I shared a painting studio, we would toss pithy aphorisms back and forth as we worked on paintings. At least WE thought the aphorisms were pithy!

Some, like, “think it, do it,” became mantras that spurred continued frantic activity. Others, like, “less is more,” spurred, well, nothing. We knew knowing when to quit was critical. And we eventually got to be pretty good about taking our own advice!

Marshall Noice | July Sky, North Valley | Oil on Canvas | 48×48″ | 9,300.

My original intention for “July Sky, North Valley” was to paint a grove of aspen in front of this iconic barn that sits a few miles north of my studio in Kalispell. But now I like it just as it is. Less is more? What do you think?

Let’s keep in touch,

Marshall

One reply on “Less Is More”

  1. Hi Marshall; As you suggested I read the blog mentioning Terry.
    I like “think it, do it”, and of course “less is More”. I can add to that: “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” Leonardo Da Vinci,
    “Simple can be harder than complex” Steve Jobs, and “Simplicity is the final achievement” Frederic Chopin.
    I have been doing lots of writing myself about a new music theory of mine, check it out:
    Miles Davis said: “A painting is music you can see, and music is a painting you can hear”. Color and musical sound are both perceived from wave structure spectrums which present in seven elementary categories that manifest in two basic divisions. The seven colors of the rainbow in the artist’s palette are recognized in two color domains, warm or cool hues. Visual artists use the contrasting and complementary nature of these two color domains to create beauty and impact in their compositions.

    The fundamental structure of music, much like the duality of color, lies in two interdependent sound domains. These two domains exist because music’s seven primary three note chords, formed upon the seven basic pitches ( Do, Re, Mi Fa, So La, and Ti ), align in two unique chord groups. The chords in each separate group share a pattern of common harmonically analogous notes which gives them a similar and correlated sound. Successful compositions in either of the two sister art forms strive for an aesthetic or meaningful arrangement of the dual realms.
    cheers , Will

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